Given that the end of January is upon us and a number of teams have begun to separate themselves from the pack, we felt that it was time to calculate and post the current RPI rankings for all NEPSIHA teams. Before we get to the rankings, however, we feel a quick reminder of what goes into the rankings is in order, especially considering that every year we have some new readers. The RPI is set up as a way to rank NEPSIHA teams in an equitable manner, one that attempts to take into account both how well a team has performed as well as the strength of their schedule. With that in mind, here are a couple of reminders before getting into it. 1) Only games against other NEPSIHA teams count towards playoff calculations. 2) Games in tournaments decided after the first five minutes of overtime (i.e., via a shootout or extended overtime) count as ties for both of the teams involved. And 3) All games against NEPSHIA teams will count towards the RPI.

The following RPI calculations, which include games through Sun. Jan. 27, are based on three categories:

1. The first portion of the calculation is based on a team’s winning percentage. Simply put, this is how well a team performs in its own games. This is important because a team needs a strong winning percentage no matter who they play. A team’s winning percentage is calculated by adding the number of wins plus 1/2 the number of ties and dividing this total by the number of games played. Winning percentage accounts for 25% of the total RPI calculation.

2. The second portion of the RPI is a calculation of each team’s opponents winning percentage. In other words, how good are the teams that you are playing during the year in question? Winning percentage is calculated the same way as above, but this time the mathematics is based on the total number of your opponent’s wins, plus half the number of their ties. Next, divide that total by the number of games played by your opponents. This category is worth 21% of the RPI calculation because how you play (your own winning percentage) should be worth a bit more than how your opponents play (the second category).

3. The third portion of the RPI is based on your opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage. This is basically set up as a ‘strength of schedule’ component, and is an attempt to eliminate much of the variation that can happen to teams on a yearly basis in terms of wins and losses. This helps eliminate the need/desire to change schedules because one team may be stronger or weaker from one year to the next. It also eliminates the possibility that you can decrease your own RPI by defeating another team. This third category is worth 54% of the total RPI calculation.

The above RPI calculations, as utilized by NEPSIHA, mirror those used by Division I college hockey and adopted for use in 2006. However, the Stuart/Corkery ‘Elite Eight’ playoff tournament seedings are not determined solely by RPI. To arrive at the final seedings for the Elite 8 another step is required. That’s where the JSPR system comes into play. Just as college hockey has a system for comparing the top teams and how they fare against one another -- i.e., the Pairwise Rankings – prep hockey utilizes the JSPR system as a means to compare the top teams and how they have played against each other. At this point of the season the RPI rankings give the best point of comparison, but in a week or two we will post the first set of JSPR rankings (along with an explanation of how those numbers are calculated). In order for a team to be considered for the JSPR, however, they must finish among the top 16 teams in terms of RPI. When the season ends, and the top 8 finishers, as determined by the JSPR formula, are culled, all remaining schools are seeded, solely using the RPI, for the big school and small school tournaments.

Here are the RPI Rankings. They are current through games of Sunday Jan. 26th. As we get closer to the end of the season we will have more frequent RPI rankings. We will also, of course, start publishing JSPR calculations as well.

- First off please note that, regardless of their RPI, if a team does not play 15 games against NEPSIHA competition, they will not be eligible for the playoffs. There are only a handful of schools that this generally applies to.

If you are curious as to how things can change, here’s a look at the top 16 at this time last year. And remember, Salisbury won it all, topping Kent, and neither were in the top four with a month to go.1. KUA, 2. Belmont Hill, 3. Berkshire, 4. Gunnery, 5. Kent, 6. Dexter, 7. Salisbury, 8. Avon, 9. Exeter, 10. Cushing, 11. Westminster, 12. Kents Hill, 13. Choate, 14. Milton. 15. Loomis, and 16. St. Sebastian’s. When the final RPI was calculated 15 of these teams were among the final 16. Loomis lost four of their last five and fell out of contention; Thayer won four of their last five and finished tenth in RPI. Also, The top seven teams with a month to go were still the top seven teams at the end. The biggest scramble was with teams ranked 8-16. A lot of volatility there. Also, watch the teams between 12-20 as that is the group from which teams can jump up into the Top 16 -- or fall out of the Top 16. Actually, you can go a little farther than 20: Last year Thayer was at 21, but pulled themselves all the way up to #10. There are some very big hockey games played in the last month and we'll attempt to point them out when they arise.

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Large School/Small School Breakdown

You will notice that the left-hand column in the RPI rankings is designated for school size – large or small. There are 64 NEPSIHA schools and 32 are considered large, and 32 are considered small.

Here is the list for this year. The number next to the school names indicated male enrollment only.

Westminster 5 @ Avon Old Farms 4 (OT) – Sophomore Taggart Corriveau scored the tying goal with 22 seconds left in the third, and then scored again in OT, a powerplay goal to win it. Sophomore Brian Smyth (1g,1a) and senior Mario Benicky (1g,1a) each had two points for Westy. Avon has lost five of six and is now three games under .500 at 7-10-1.

Gunnery 3 @ Millbrook 0 – Gunnery senior goaltender Matthew Schneider recorded a 20-save shutout and three different teammates scored a goal. #8 Gunnery has won 10 of its last 11. Over the last 14 games they have not allowed more than three goals in any one contest.

NMH 3 @ KUA 1 – Junior goaltender Conor O’Brien kicked out 30 of 31 shots to lead the Hoggers past #10 KUA. NMH has won six of their last seven.

Canterbury 0 @ Berkshire 0 – In the double shutout, senior Christian Short (46/46) was in the net for Canterbury and senior George Blinick (27/27) was in goal for #7 Berkshire. The only other team to shut out Berkshire this season was Kent, 6-0 at the Avon Xmas Classic. Berkshire is 7-1-2 in their last ten.

@ Salisbury 6, Trinity-Pawling 0 – Freshman goaltender Nick Sorgio (12/12) got the shutout for #2-ranked Salisbury. The Knights’ offense came from senior F Evan Smith (1g,2a) and senior D Will Toffey (2g). Senior forwards Derek Barach (2a) and Neil Robinson (2a) chipped in too. Salisbury outshot T-P, 45-12, and have scored a combined 17 goals over their last two games, which is more than their previous six games combined.

St. Paul’s 8 @ Governor’s 1 – Junior Austin Ricci (2g,2a) and John Laurito (1g,2a) and senior David Storto (2g,1a) led the SPS attack. Sophomore D Giacomo Messina had two assists. Junior Nathan Colannino (16/17) earned the shutout. St. Paul’s has won three in a row.

@ Belmont Hill 4, Lawrence 1 – Senior Joe Welch (1g,1a) and junior Charlie McConnell (1g,1a) each had two points. Bel Hill has won four of its last five.

@ Stanstead College 4, New Hampton 3 – Four different scorers had one goal apiece.Stanstead junior G Alex Butler stopped 29 of 32 shots for the win.

Harvey 2 @ Hackley 1 (OT) -- Senior Corey Eisenband scored a pair of powerplay goals for Harvey, the second of which came in OT. Junior Keith Lambert assisted on both goals. Junior Mark Seigal (25/26) got the win.

Groton 2 @ Rivers 2 – Senior Hank Miller scored late in the second period to lift Rivers to the tie, and they had to come back from a 2-0 first period deficit to do it. Goalies were senior Matt Pompa (29/31) for Groton, and junior Ryan Colena (18/20) for Rivers.

@ Loomis-Chaffee 5, Williston 4 – Senior Cory Swift notched a hat trick to lead the Pelicans. Junior Alex Esposito had a pair of assists. For Williston, junior forwards Tyler Scroggins (2g) and Brandon Borges (1g,1a) each had two points. PG Max Willman had one assist.

@ St. Sebastian’s 4, Milton 3 – Senior TedyLoughborough (32/35) earned the win and junior Will D’Orsi (1g,1a) led the St. Seb’s scorers. For the visiting Mustangs, sophomore Trevor Turnbull, his team’s leading scorer, figured in all three goals (2g,1a). Milton, which hasn’t been getting a lot of offensive production lately, has lost five of its last six games.

Sat. Jan. 25 HighlightsKent 4 @ Westminster 2 – A young, talented Westminster team gave it their best shot, tying up #1-ranked Kent when sophomore Taggart Corriveau scored with 10 seconds left in the second period to take a 2-2 deadlock into the second intermission. However, in the third, Kent’s size, depth, and experience were too much for the Martlets to overcome as Kent sophomore D Greg Krisberg scored a PPG at 9:48 and then added an empty-netter with 16 seconds remaining. Kent outshot Westy 41-24. Kent senior Stephen Morrissey (22/24) got the win, while Westminster senior Zac Hamilton (38/41) was the hard-luck loser.

@ Cushing 2, Belmont Hill 1 – Senior Matt Hoover scored a PPG in the first, and senior Adam Augusta scored in the second to give #5-ranked Cushing a 2-0 lead after two periods. Belmont Hill junior D Charlie Barrow scored in the third to make it a one-goal game but Cushing junior G Joey Daccord (22/23) barred the door after that. Bel Hill senior Ryan McConnell kicked out 32 of 34 in a losing effort.

@ Salisbury 3, Berkshire 2 – A Neil Robinson goal with 13 seconds left in regulation broke a 2-2 tie and lifted #2-ranked Salisbury past #8 Berkshire. Earlier, junior Kale Kane and senior Derek Barach had scored to give Salisbury a 2-0 lead midway through the second. But Berkshire came back on goals by seniors Nick O’Connor and Tipper Higgins to deadlock the game going into the third period.Salisbury senior G Mitchell Datz (20/22) got the win, while Berkshire senior George Blinick (31/34) took the loss. Higgins (1g,1a), senior Jeff Thompson (2a) and O’Connor (1g,1a)figured in both of Berkshire’s goals. Junior VimalSukumaran (2a) and senior Mitchell Smith (2a) each had two points for Salisbury, which is now 11-1-4 in NEPSIHA play. Berkshire is 12-4-2.

St. George’s 3 @ BB&N 2 – Senior defensemen Connor Hegarty and Brien Diffley scored in the first period to give the host Knights a 2-0 lead, but the Dragons came back with three straight: sophomore D Tim Baumann cut it to 2-1, junior F Hunter Johnson tied it up at 2-2 early in the third, and senior Luc Woodard scored the game-winner with 5:20 remaining. BB&N outshot St. George’s, 32-18, but freshman Shane Conlon stopped 30 shots to give the Dragons the road win.

Brunswick 6 @ Millbrook 3 – Host Millbrook held a 2-0 lead early in the second, but Millbrook scored six of the next seven goals to win this one going away. For Brunswick, sophomore Jack Stephenson (1g,1eng), senior D Henry Hobbs (2a), and senior Nick Jermain (1g,1a) each had two points. For Millbrook, junior Jacob Moreau had two goals. Brunswick junior G Alex Connal stopped 22 of 25 shots for the win.

@ Groton 4, Roxbury Latin 2 – Groton, down 2-0 late in the first period, came back with four unanswered goals, from four different scorers. Senior G Matt Pompa (15/17) picked up the win for Groton, now 9-5-2 in NEPSIHA play.

Hotchkiss @ Deerfield – SUSPENDED GAME – Host Deerfield held a 2-1 lead after one period of play when a power outage put a halt to the game. They waited an hour before calling it, and then 30 minutes after that the power returned, but it was too late to resume the game by then. The game will resume with the start of the second period at a date to be determined.

@ Loomis-Chaffee 2, Andover 2 (OT) – A Cory Swift goal with the goaltender pulled for an extra attacker and 56 seconds remaining in regulation lifted host Loomis to the 2-2 tie. After a scoreless first period, Andover junior John Festa scored a PPG early in the second. Midway through the third, Andover went up 2-0 as PG Robert Devaney found the back of the net. But less than two minutes later junior Alex Esposito cut it to 2-1 and set things up for Swift’s heroics. Loomis senior Nick Kamm stopped 33 of 35 shots, while Andover junior Erik Wurman stopped 23. Andover senior D David Belluche had a pair of assists.

Hoosac 4 @ Hebron 3 – PG Sean Spohr scored a pair of goals and junior Jordan Elwood had 33 saves to lead the Owls. Hebron had a 36-24 edge in shots, but came up short.

@ New Hampton 4, Brewster 3 (OT) – PG Kyle Valliere scored at 4:04 of OT to lift New Hampton to the come-from-behind win. Junior Jack Riley had two assists for New Hampton and senior Tim Sestak (33/36) earned the win in net. For Brewster, PG Brendan Murphy had a pair of goals, and senior Joe Osaka, from Tokyo, Japan, had a pair of assists. With the win, New Hampton reaches the .500 mark in NEPSIHA play. They are 11-11-1.

Gill, Mass. – Northfield-Mt. Hermon, trailing #5-ranked Cushing, 3-2, early in the third period in ice-cold McCollum Arena this afternoon, put the Penguins in hypothermic shock with four straight goals to take a 6-3 decision.

It was the Penguins’ second loss in their last three games.

It was also the second time this season -- in two meetings -- that NMH has defeated Cushing. On Jan. 1, at the Watkins Tournament, NMH edged Cushing, 5-4, in OT.

For Cushing, sophomores David Cotton and Bailey Conger each had a goal and an assist. And junior goalie Joey Daccord faced a lot of rubber, stopping 47 of 52.

The unsung heroes in this game were the spectators, who shivered in NMH’s chain-link enclosed rink as temperatures barely snuck above single digits at the opening faceoff. The cold played in favor of the host team, who are accustomed to it. Cushing players were visibly uncomfortable with the frigid conditions.

The game was an up-and-down affair played at a high tempo early on. It was physical, too. Recent Boston College commit David Cotton, who would be a force all day, was hit high around the head at 13:37 of the first and needed to be helped off the ice. Cotton, however, was able to return to the game with no sign of injury. The scoring was started by NMH’s Hayward, who, with his team on the powerplay, walked in from the half-wall and snapped off a foot-high shot that beat Daccord at the six-minute mark, giving the Hoggers a 1-0 lead at the end of one. It could have been 2-0 but an NMH shot toward a wide-open net after a 2-on-1 break led to a big rebound that Cushing senior D Richie Boyd, from one knee, was able to stop with the shaft of his stick.

The second period had a bit of controversy early as Cushing, on the PP, tied it at 1-1 on a Boyd shot from the point. The puck rang off the post and was covered up by O’Brien. However, the referee, who was on the goal line, called it a goal -- to the surprise of all, and the dismay of many. A couple of minutes later, Cotton gave Cushing their first lead of the day on a great power move to the net. While his first shot was stopped, Cotton stayed with the puck and banged home the rebound for his 13th goal of the season. The lead, however, was short-lived as NMH’s Manchuck made a nice individual move one-on-one with the D and, catching Daccord sliding side-to-side, was able to sneak a shot past him to make it 2-2 after two periods.

Just a couple of minutes into the third, Cushing’s second-leading scorer, junior Jake Simons, was able to beat O’Brien and put the Penguins up 3-2. That would be the last time the Penguins would hold a lead. At the 4:29 mark, Weller received a D-to-D pass from senior co-captain Corey Moriarty and released a beautifully-placed shot glove side to knot the game at 3-3. From there, NMH took charge, as Dazkevich took a shot from the slot that was saved by Daccord. But no Cushing players picked up either Dazkevich or the loose puck in front and the West Hartford, Conn. native was able to pick up his own rebound and find the open net for what would turn out to be the game-winning goal. Hayward made it 5-3, picking up his second goal of the day after Dazkevich pried the puck loose in the crease. Freeman, UConn’s 6’4” inch recruit, would add an empty-netter for the 6-3 final.

NMH head coach Tom Pratt said, “I was really pleased with our guys’ effort and resolve. They weren’t denied. There were opportunities to wilt, and times when it looked like Cushing had the momentum, but they buckled down and played harder. They kept the pressure on Cushing for the entire game and were rewarded for it.”

Cushing coach Rob Gagnon said, “NMH outcompeted us and that’s why they won. I’m disappointed. Prep school hockey is just too good to not compete to the other team’s compete level. No excuses about the weather. No excuses about anything. We didn’t compete. They did. And that’s why they won.”

Trinity-Pawling 5 @ Choate 2 -- Senior goaltender Matthew Michals kicked out 30 shots to lead his team to a 5-2 road win. Although Choate finished with a 32-22 shot advantage, T-P, which got goals from five different scorers, led this one all the way. T-P is now 8-6-1 in NEPSIHA play.

@ Salisbury 3, Gunnery 2 (OT) -- A powerplay goal by senior Evan Smith at 4:01 of OT put #2-ranked Salisbury back on the winning track. Mitchell Datz (31/33) got the win, while Gunnery senior Matthew Schneider (28/31) was the hard-luck loser. Both the Smith twins had two points apiece -- Evan had two goals, while Mitchell had a goal and an assist. Junior Ryan Dmowski scored both of #9-ranked Gunnery's goals.

@ Exeter 1, KUA 1 (OT) -- Junior wing Brendan Riley put #10-ranked KUA on the board in the first period, but Exeter senior Patrick Quinn tied it up five minutes later. That was it for the scoring. Exeter senior Jack Parsons (30/31) and KUA senior Paul Leger (31/32) made this one a goaltenders' duel. Both played extremely well. Forward Teddy Hart was back in action for #4-ranked Exeter after missing a couple of games with concussion symptoms. Word is that KUA center Joey Dudek (separated shoulder) will not be back in action for several weeks, and there's a very real chance he may miss the rest of the season.

Avon Old Farms 5 @ Loomis-Chaffee 4 (OT) -- An OT goal from sophomore Jake Gresh lifted Avon to the road win, and pulled the Winged Beavers to a game under .500 (7-8-1). Avon held the lead late in the third period but Loomis senior Kristofer VanGameren scored a powerplay goal with 53 seconds left in regulation to send the game to OT. In the first period, junior Seth McCormick scored two goals for Loomis. Avon outshot Loomis, 40-31.

Belmont Hill 5 @ Brooks 1 -- This was a 1-1 game early in the third period, but Belmont Hill exploded for four goals in eight minutes. Seniors Will Golonka (1g,2a) and Joe Welch (1g,1a), and junior Charlie McConnell (1g,1a) led the attack. Senior Ryan McConnell (25/26) earned the win.

@ Millbrook 6, Williston 5 -- Junior defenseman Walker Hincenbergs scored a powerplay goal at 15:28 of the third to lift Millbrook, now 13-8-1, to the win. It was Hincenberg's second tally of the game. Junior Jacob Moreau had three assists for Millbrook. Brandon Borges had a goal and an assist for Williston. Max Willman had a pair of assists.

@ Proctor 4, Berwick 2 -- Proctor got goals from four different scorers and sophomore goalie Connor Simpson kicked out 28 of 30 to lead the Hornets, now 11-6-1 in NEPSIHA play, to the win.

@ Westminster 5, Deerfield 2 -- A goal by junior Anthony Di Placido with nine seconds left in the first period broke a 2-2 tie and turned out to be the game-winning goal. Sophomore Taggart Corriveau added two goals in the third, the final being an empty-netter. Senior Zac Hamilton kicked out 24 of 26 shots for the win. Di Placido had a pair of assists in addition to his goal. Sophomore Johnny McDermott had a goal and an assist for the Martlets, who are undefeated in their last six (5-0-1).

@ Brewster 2, Holderness 1 -- A third period goal from senior Joe Osaka lifted the Bobcats to the home win. Senior Ryder Garnsey kicked out 25 of 26 shots.

@ Andover 6, Winchendon 4 -- Senior Michael Lata (2g,1a) and PG Robert Devaney (1g,2a) each had three points to lead Andover, now 9-5-0 in NEPSIHA play, to the win. Jarod Fitzpatrick had a pair of goals for Winchendon.

Noble & Greenough 3 @ St. Sebastian's 2 (OT) -- Junior Miles Wood scored his second goal of the game at 4:49 of OT to lift Nobles to the win. St. Seb's, playing at home, held a 2-0 lead midway through the third but couldn't hold back Nobles' offense. Sophomore Brendan Cytulike (18/20) got the win in the Nobles net, while St. Seb's junior Danny Higgins (35/38) took a tough loss. #6-ranked Nobles is now 12-4-1 in NEPSIHA play. Senior D JC Brassard got the goal that sent the game to OT. Junior Cal Burke had a pair of assists.

Tues. 1/21/14- updated Thurs. 1/23/14

Storm Cancellations

The winter storm hitting New England is expected to clear out by midday Wednesday, but there will be cancellations, particularly from day schools. Please send all cancellations and postponements to information (at) ushr.com so people don’t head out to games that are not taking place. Thank you.

#2-ranked Kent, which had gone on the road and tied #1-ranked Salisbury 2-2 back on Dec. 13th, today clinched the season’s series with an emphatic 6-2 win in front of a jam-packed home crowd.

Not only that, but Kent (12-1-1) handed Salisbury (9-1-3) its first loss of the season.

The offensive heroes for Kent were senior forwards Lewis Zerter-Gossage (2g,1a) and Phil Klitirinos (2g,1a). Senior F Anthony Rinaldi and junior D Josh Hardiman also found the back of the net for the Lions. Dylan McCrory and Mitch Allen each had a pair of assists.

After a scoreless first period in which Kent had the better of the quality scoring chances, Anthony Rinaldi put the Lions up 1-0 at the 2:02 mark of the second period. Salisbury’s Kale Kane evened the score at 1-1 three minutes later.

The killer for the visitors came late in the second, when Klitirinos converted on a Salisbury turnover and stuffed it short side past Knights senior goaltender Mitchell Datz. Just 1:28 later defenseman Hardiman blasted a shot from the point through traffic to beat Datz low and give Kent a 3-1 lead to take into the second intermission.

Early in the third, Harvard recruit Zerter-Gossage made it 4-1 after skating through the neutral zone, keeping the puck wide, cutting in toward the circles and firing a wrister past Datz’s glove hand. Klitirinos made it 5-1 off a rebound before Salisbury senior d-man Will Toffey, on a 5-on-3 PP, scored on a blast from the point to cut the lead to 5-2. Zerter-Gossage made it 6-2 with 13 seconds left off a beautiful feed from Klitirinos.

Asked what the key to the game was, Kent head coach Dale Reinhardt said, “We wanted to go out and pressure the Salisbury D.If you let them break out of the zone untouched you’ll be in trouble.”

Kent succeeded on that score. They have tremendous depth both up front and on the back end -- and they really came after Salisbury. Their aggressiveness appeared to interrupt Salisbury’s flow and take them off their game. Kent didn’t let up, whereas the best aspects of Salisbury’s game were evident only in spurts. At other times, Salisbury sat back a bit and was outmuscled in the 1-on-1 battles. Kent simply was the stronger and more mature team.

In 12 of 14 games this season, Kent has allowed two or fewer goals. Only Exeter, in a 4-3 win over Kent on Dec. 8, and Hotchkiss, in an 8-3 loss, have scored more.

Kent senior goaltender Stephen Morrissey, who’s been a model of consistency all season and stopped 33 of 35 today, did not have to make a lot of great saves, as Salisbury had very few Grade A chances. On the other hand, Salisbury’sDatz (26/32) had a rough day, and while he would surely like to have a couple back, the loss was a team loss.

@ Berkshire 3, Avon 2 (OT) – After two periods Avon, on goals from Sam Levin and Jake Gresh, held a 2-1 lead on the road. But Berkshire’s Craig Puffer tied it up early in the third and Charlie Corcoran scored a powerplay goal at 3:13 of OT to win it. Senior G George Blinick (28/30) got the win, while Avon junior Tucker Weppner (35/38) took the loss. Avon has lost three in a row and five of their last six. #8-ranked Berkshire, on the other hand, is undefeated in their last six (5-0-1).

@ Millbrook 2, Hoosac 1 – Millbrook senior Brett Supinski broke a 1-1 tie with a late second period short-handed goal to give his team the win. Supinski also had an assist on Millbrook’s first goal, from junior Zach Coppola. In net, Millbrook junior Matt Kricheli (16/17) got the win;Hoosac junior Jordan Elwood (28/30) was the hard-luck loser. Millbrook moves to 12-7-1 (10-6-0 in NEPSIHA play).

@ Westminster 5, Loomis-Chaffee 2 – Westy got goals from five different scorers and senior G Zac Hamilton kicked out 24 shots. Loomis had the edge in shots, 26-25, but there is no consolation to be found there. The Martlets are now 4-0-1 in their last five.

@ St. Mark’s 5, St. George’s 0 -- St. Mark’s senior goalie Robert Labonte stopped all 28 shots he faced in a shutout performance today. St. Mark’s got five goals from five different scorers and are 9-1-2 over their last 12 games.

@ Choate 3, Deerfield 2 – Deerfield outshot Choate, 49-30, but came out on the wrong end of a 3-2 score. For Choate, junior goaltender Andrew Tucci was the hero, kicking out 47 shots to help the Wild Boars avenge a Dec. 14th 4-2 loss at Deerfield. Senior F Joey Caffrey (2g,1a) and senior D Max Daigle (1g,2a) led the attack. Junior Jeremy Germain chipped in with two assists. The Wild Boars are 3-0-2 over their last five and improve to 8-4-2 (5-4-2 in NEPSIHA play).

@ St. Sebastian’s 4, Governor’s 3 – Seniors Corey Ronan (2g,1a) and Nick Flanagan (1g,2a), and junior Will D’Orsi (3a) each had three points to lead St. Sebastian’s, which scored all four of their goals in the second period.

@ Andover 8, Noble & Greenough 4 – #5-ranked Nobles held a 4-3 lead halfway through the second period but allowed five unanswered goals and saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. For Andover, which outshot Nobles 41-31, senior forwards Michael Lata (1g,2a) and Robert Devaney (1g,2a) and senior d-men Michael Kim (2g,1a) and David Belluche (1g,2a) each had three points. Nobles soph Luke Stevens (1g,2a) figured in three of Nobles’ four goals.

Exeter 4, Hotchkiss 1 – In a neutral-site game played at the Springfield Olympia, #4-ranked Exeter, on a pair of first period goals by PGs Patrick Besse and Henry Hart just 17 seconds apart, broke out to an early 2-0 lead. Later in the first, Hotchkiss, on the PK, cut it to 2-1 when junior Roberto Cellini stripped an Exeter d-man at the blue line, broke in alone, and beat Exeter junior goalie Max Barr (22/23). In the third, Henry Hart, off a pass from Kevin Neiley, scored a shorthanded goal, rifling one under the crossbar past Hotchkiss sophomore goalie Kyle St. Denis (23/26). Hart scored his second goal of the game, an empty-netter, to make it a 4-1 final. Exeter is undefeated in their last seven games (6-0-1).

Kimball Union 2 @ Milton 1 – PG Chris Shero and senior Tyler Bird scored second period goals less than three minutes apart -- and that was all #9-ranked Kimball Union needed today. Milton senior D Chad Malinowski scored a powerplay goal at 12:07 of the third to make it a one-goal game, but the Mustangs failed to get the equalizer. Senior Paul Leger (26/27) earned the win for KUA, while junior Drew Hotte (32/34) took the loss.

Brooks 3 @ Holderness 2 – Junior D Chris White’s goal with 56 seconds left in regulation lifted Brooks to a 3-2 road win. It was White’s second game-winner in a row as he also had one last night against Groton. Brooks has now won four of their last five and are 11-4-1 on the season, all NEPSIHA games.

Delbarton 2 @ Malden Catholic 1 – Sophomore defenseman Anthony Petrillo broke a 1-1 tie at 12:20 of the third to lift Delbarton to the win. Senior F Chad Otterman assisted on both Delbarton goals, while freshman goalie Troy Kobryn came up huge, kicking out 32 of 33 shots for the win. Malden Catholic, which got their goal from junior defenseman John McLean, outshot Delbarton 33-17 but came up on the short side of the final score. Delbarton, undefeated at 9-0-1, will stay in town and face Dexter at 11:00 am Sunday morning before returning to New Jersey.

Ashburnham, Mass. -- In a battle of prep powers, #6-ranked Thayer Academy, behind a hat trick from junior center Adam Gaudette, went on the road and topped #3 Cushing today.

Thayer came out hard and got on the board quickly when sophomore center Monte Graham, stationed at the post to Cushing goalie Joey Daccord’s right, kept banging on a rebound until he jammed it over the goal line to make it 1-0. The period was pretty even the rest of the way, as Cushing missed an opportunity when Bailey Conger hit a post on the PP. With 33 seconds left Thayer made it 2-0. Junior wing Lincoln Griffin did the dirty work along the wall, gaining control and getting the puck to junior center Adam Gaudette, who made a nice pass to RW Neil Conway breaking to the net. Conway had the far side of the net to shoot at, and didn’t miss.

Just 1:57 into the second, Thayer made it 3-0 when Daccord gave up a bad rebound, basically handing it to Gaudette at the right inside hash marks. Gaudette put it right back on net. It seemed like a backbreaker at the time, but Cushing would get back in the game, scoring on a 5x3 when Matt Hoover, at the left point, got it over to Richie Boyd, on the right point. Boyd drilled a low, hard, ice-level shot that tucked inside the post, beating Thayer senior goaltender Rob McGovern stick side.

With 1:07 left in the second, after a stretch of pressure by the Penguins, PG Malcolm Hayes, who committed to Maine earlier in the week, drilled one from the point that junior Stephen Marsico neatly tipped past McGovern.

Cushing had cut the Thayer lead to 3-2, and were back in it.

However, the third period started with Thayer -- as they had done in the first two periods -- scoring in the early going. This time Conway, a right shot, cut across the slot and put a shot on net that Gaudette redirected past Daccord. It was the junior’s second goal of the game, and put the Tigers up 4-2.

Cushing junior center Jake Simons, on the powerplay, cut it to 4-3 when he banged home a rebound at 8:05. That would be as close as Cushing would get for the day, as 1:10 later Thayer senior D Jon Barry drilled one from the point, and Gaudette tipped it home, completing his hat trick and restoring his team’s two-goal cushion.

With 2:07 left in the game, Christian Leahy added an empty-netter for Thayer to give his team a three-goal lead. With 1:11 remaining, sophomore winger David Cotton beat McGovern from a scrum to make it 6-4.

A couple key points about this game: neither team dominated territorially and Cushing actually outshot Thayer 40-32. The third period was the only period in which Thayer outshot Cushing.

Thayer, however, had the better goalie tonight, as McGovern, while he didn’t have to stand on his head, made some tough saves early when it was still anyone’s game. Daccord, on the other hand, let in a couple of goals he’d certainly want back. He was shaky on his rebounds tonight. To compound problems, Cushing defensemen struggled down low.

Thayer also had the best line on the ice – the Conway-Gaudette-Griffin troika. They consistently took it to the net and were a handful for the Cushing D. Gaudette is an interesting story. The junior from Braintree has been flying under the radar this season, but has been terrific every time we’ve seen him. He’s smart, determined, has a great stick, sees the ice, and is one of the top uncommitted players in prep hockey. Last year, Gaudette was injured and missed practically the entire season so -- unlike Lincoln Griffin, for example -- nobody really got to see what he could do. Now, people see that Gaudettte has 41 points in 14 games – nearly three points a game – but discount it because Thayer has whomped on some weak teams in the early going. Today, though, was telling. Cushing is not a weak team, and Gaudette was the most effective forward on the ice today, a difference-maker. He’ll be a nice D-I player, and we think a lot of offers will start coming his way.

On defense, 6’1” senior Jon Barry was once again a stalwart. He’s a D-I hockey player in our eyes. The only problem is he has a lacrosse scholarship to Providence College. Barry’s agility and skating have improved dramatically since last season, and he’s been the take-charge guy on the blue line for Thayer.

After the game, Thayer head coach Tony Amonte was pleased because, in his fourth year behind the bench, it was the first time his team had beat Cushing. For the seniors who have been around for all four years, it was especially sweet.

“We knew Cushing was going to come at us so we tried to work them down low and make them come two hundred feet,” Amonte said.

“We’ve also been trying to get better starts. We want to dictate the pace instead of waiting to see what the other team’s going to do. It’s tough to come from behind against a team like Cushing. I think we came in with a strong mindset today.”

Outside the Cushing room, Rob Gagnon said, “Our kids didn’t start competing early enough. I also feel our d-zone coverage was not tight. We lapsed on Thayer’s first and third goals. Our D usually does a better job stick on stick.”

“We had our chances. We hit a couple posts and a crossbar, and their goalie stood tall, and made a couple of big saves early.”

“I tip my hat to that team. If you give them life they capitalize on it. They just keep coming at you.”

We got to see this game, as we try to see every prep team at least once and had yet to see Vermont Academy, which gained out attention when they upset KUA last week. On the other hand, we have seen Williston, having a strong season (now 8-4-1) under former Nobles and Holy Cross goalie Derek Cunha, a bunch of times.

This game was never in doubt. Williston controlled the play and was simply too talented for a scrappy Vermont Academy team to handle. Willman, a Brown recruit ranked #177 on Central Scouting’s Mid-Term Rankings, was impressive all night, making plays and competing hard. His skill level with the puck and the energy he brought to every shift made him consistently dangerous. Bork, a junior from Buffalo, NY, lit the lamp twice tonight for Williston, both coming on the power play. At 6’3”, 175 lbs., Bork has a nice-sized frame and a quick release that freezes opposing goalies.

As far as Vermont Academy is concerned, new coach Chris Davidson’s squad competes hard and plays a physical game. The team relies heavily on senior goalie Simon Leiva, a small, quick ’95 from Blainville, Quebec. Leiva, being watched by NESCAC schools,gives them a chance against stronger teams. The leading scorer for VA this season is junior Cam Wright, who has a 9-13-22 line in 14 games. Wright has an engine that never stops and he can really rip the puck. Down the line, he could be a good Division III player. The most interesting prospect on VA is Justin Cole, a 6’3” sophomore who has good hands for a player his size and was noticeable all game as he has an ability to create scoring chances for himself. On the downside, he has a very short stride with limited power and will need to improve immensely in that area in order to be an impact player. He’s also a ‘96 birthdate, which makes him a very old sophomore .@ Tilton 4, Brewster 2 – Junior G Andrew Herrman stopped 28 of 30 shots to lead the Rams.

@ Tabor 3, Exeter 3 (OT) – A Fred Kaubpowerplay goal at 15:09 of the third lifted the host Seawolves to a 3-3 tie. Kaub, a senior, also had two assists, thus figuring in all three of his team’s goals. Soph Erik Foley had Tabor’s other two goals. Senior Joe Slovak had a pair of assists. Tabor outshot Exeter 41-27. David White only had one goal for #4-ranked Exeter.

Westminster 3 @ Canterbury 1 – A second period goal from senior D Erik Rost broke a 1-1 tie and proved to be the game-winner. The Martlets added an empty-netter late. Zac Hamilton kicked out 22 of 23 for the win; Christian Short (34/36) took the loss for Canterbury. Westy, now 6-5-2, started the season with three straight losses, but has only lost twice since then.

@ St. George’s 3, Moses Brown 2 – Host St. George’s entered the third period down 2-1 but sophomore Ian Keller tied it up at the 6:57 mark and then scored the game winner with 1:18 remaining. St. George’s had the edge in shots, 38-24.

@ Holderness 4, St. Mark’s 4 (OT) – St. Mark's, trailing 4-2 in the third period, came back with a pair to tie it up. Sophomore F Zach Tsekos was the hero, scoring the tying goal with .6 seconds left in regulation. It was Tsekos' second goal of the game. Holderness sophomore F Ryan Steele had scored a pair of goals 1:33 apart to give his team the two-goal cushion they failed to hold. Holderness outshot St. Mark’s 40-28.

@ Albany Academy 3, Hoosac 1 – Junior Shawn Knowlton had a goal and an assist and senior Max Ciovacco stopped 35 of 36 shots for the win.@ NMH 3, Avon Old Farms 2 -- A third period goal by junior Peter Owen Hayward broke a 2-2 tie and lifted the Hoggers to the win. Junior Conor O’Brien stopped 31 of 33. With the loss, Avon falls a game under .500, an unusual place for them to be in mid-January.

@ Berkshire 1, Choate 1 (OT) -- Charlie Corcoran broke a 0-0 third period tie, but less than five minutes later Jeremy Germain got it back for the visiting Wild Boars. Both goalies, Choate’s Sam Tucker and Berkshire’s George Blinick, stopped 34 of 35.

Deerfield 5 @ Kimball Union 3 -- Sam Lafferty (2g,1a) led the Big Green scorers and junior goaltender Jake Kahler stopped 43 of 46 to earn the win. #9-ranked KUA outshot Deerfield 46-21 but still wound up losing for the third time in four games.

@ Trinity-Pawling 3, Salisbury 3 (OT) – Host Trinity-Pawling, outshot 50-25 in the game, got two SHG 22 seconds apart in the final minute of play to stun the #1-ranked Knights. Senior Devin Brink (1g,1a) figured in both of those goals. Senior G Matthew Michals had 48 saves for T-P.

@ Andover 5, St. Sebastian’s 4 (OT) – Senior defenseman Michael Kim had a hat trick for Andover, the third goal of which came in OT. Andover outshot the visitors 54-19.

Kent 8 @ Hotchkiss 3 – Hotchkiss held a 2-0 lead over #2-ranked Kent after one period of play, but it was all Kent after that. Leading the onslaught were seniors Brendan Soucie (2g,3a) and Anthony Rinaldi (3g), and junior Max Kaufman (2g). Kent outshot the Bearcats, 36-22.

@ Gunnery 5, Millbrook 2 – Junior Ryan Dmowski, who just committed to UMass-Lowell, had two goals. Nathan Sucese (1g,1a), Noah Bauld (1g,1a), Joey Fallon (2a), and Kevin Darrar (2a) each had two points for Gunnery. Senior D Luke Hincenbergs scored both Millbrook goals. Gunnery outshot Millbrook 48-14. #10-ranked Gunnery has won their last five games by either 5-2 or 5-3 scores, which, if nothing else, indicates they are getting in a comfortable scoring groove.

Sat. Jan. 11 Highlights@ Exeter 7, Andover 1 – In a matchup of the ancient rivals, it was all Exeter. PG David White led the way with six points -- five goals and one assist. PGs Kevin Neiley (1g,4a) and Henry Hart (3a) were other big contributors for #4-ranked Exeter.Junior Teddy Hart, who committed to PC the other day, suffered a concussion and will be out of action for the next several games.

@ Choate 2, Taft 2 (OT) – Taft, on the road, took a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals 1:43 apart in the second period, but Choate senior Joey Caffrey cut the Rhinos’ lead to 2-1 late in the second and also notched the equalizer midway through the third. Owen Powers, who committed to Holy Cross this week, assisted on both of Caffrey’s goals. Caffrey has scored all five of Choate’s goals in 2014, as the Harvard recruit scored a hat trick in the Wild Boars’ 3-1 win over Canterbury Wednesday. Both goalies came up big. JuniorAndrewTucci stopped 36 of 38, while Taft freshman Andrew Farrier kicked out 30 of 32.

@ Loomis-Chaffee 3, Hotchkiss 1 -- Ben Sharf and Cory Swift scored for Loomis – the third and final goal was an empty-netter from Eric Benshadle – and in net junior Nick Desimone stopped 29 of 30 shots to lead the Pelicans. Hotchkiss junior G Caleb Tse-Lalonde (39/41) gave his team a chance.

Tabor 2 @ KUA 1 – Sophomore Erik Foley’s goal at 14:50 of the third period lifted Tabor past host KUA. With the win, Tabor reaches the .500 mark (8-8-1) while has lost two in a row. Junior Riley Whitham (32/33) got the win for the Seawolves; junior Gavin Nieto (25/27) took the loss for the #5-ranked Wildcats.

@ Brunswick 3, Millbrook 2 – Brunswick, trailing 2-1 at home, got two goals from senior Nick Jermain in the final minute of play to pull out a dramatic 3-2 win. With goaltender Alex Connal (32/34) pulled for the extra attacker, Jermain tied it up with 46 seconds left and then scored the game-winner with three seconds remaining.

@ Westminster 4, Taft 3 (OT) – Westminster, trailing 3-1 at home after a pair of second period powerplay goals off the stick of Taft senior captain Cole Maier, answered with three straight goals, the first two from sophomore forward Taggart Corriveau and the last coming from sophomore D Joe O’Connor at 1:06 of OT. Junior defenseman Frankie Sullivan and sophomore forward Johnny McDermott each had two assists for the Martlets.

@ Choate 3, Canterbury 1 – Canterbury held a 1-0 lead until the final minute of the second period. At that point, senior Joey Caffrey, a recent Harvard recruit, went to work, scoring three straight goals, the final one an empty-netter. Jeremy Germain assisted on all three goals. Junior Andrew Tucci (27/28) earned the win; senior Christian Short (26/28) took the loss.

@ Berkshire 3, NMH 1 – #9 Berkshire scored three second period goals (two on the PP) to top #10 NMH. Senior George Blinick stopped all but one of the 32 shots he faced.

@ Avon 3, Hotchkiss 2 -- A second period goal from soph Matt Horton broke a 2-2 tie and the Winged Beavers held on. Junior Tucker Weppner (25/27) picked up the win.

Deerfield 3 @ Loomis 2 – Senior Sam Lafferty, with his team on the power play, scored the game-winner with 1:39 left in regulation. It was the second goal of the game for the Brown recruit -- Camil Blanchet assisted on both of them. Junior goalie Jake Kahler (22/24) got the win for the Big Green.

BB&N 1, Brooks 0 – A first-period goal from BB&N senior F Cam O’Neill was the difference in this one, the first of three boys prep games played today at Fenway Park. Senior Steven Grinzstein, with 20 saves, earned the shutout. Brooks junior Max Prawdzik (15/16) was the hard-luck loser.

@ Exeter 7, Governor’s 2 – PGs Kevin Neiley (2g,2a) and David White (1g,3a) each picked up four points to lead #4 Exeter. Five different goalies played in this game – three for Gov’s and two for Exeter.

Proctor 3 @ New Hampton 1 – New Hampton outshot Proctor by a 32-17 margin, but the visitors, led by junior goaltender Beau Collins (31/32) earned the win. Junior Hunter Luhmann (1g,1a) and soph Jake Pappalardo (1g,1a) each figured in two of Proctor’s three goals.